Believers who have been privileged to be brought together to serve the Lord here with one another, to help each other, to praise the Lord together, and to be a testimony to this community and around the world. We support 11 missionaries currently. They're on that board back there, not them personally, but, you know, where they are. Okay? And as we worship here today, we're we're worshiping within all over the world.

And what a privilege it is. Apostle Paul has something to say to the believers in the city of Ephesus. Jules, were you did you make it to Ephesus on this trip or So Ephesus is what is currently Turkey. It's on the West Coast Of Turkey. It's called Asia in the Bible or Asia Minor.

There was a church there, a group of local believers. Paul had led several of them to the Lord. Others carried on that ministry. It grew into quite the well known church with quite the outreach to many cities in the surrounding area. And Paul wrote this letter to them.

And among other things, in verse 11, it says, and he, that is Christ, gave some apostles and some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect man, a mature, complete man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. The body here, the body of Christ, the local church to whom he is writing. Local church to which God gave gifts and abilities so that as each one, each joint does its part, the church would grow in these areas listed in knowledge and faith, in the image of Jesus Christ.

And so we're going to look at some of those this morning as it relates to our church covenant. But let's open in a word of prayer. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for Jesus Christ, our savior. Thank you for the privilege it is to know you today, to serve you, to honor you, and as a church to grow together in these areas to be a lighthouse in this community for Jesus Christ, to be matured in the faith, our own and as a church, to increase in our our love for you and one another, to be built up to the praise and glory of our our Lord and savior who is the head of this church and of the church abroad. Thank you, Lord, for the grace of God that has given us this wonderful privilege.

Thank you for Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins to redeem us and to save us from them and to make us part of your church, your your body. Representatives and ambassadors for the king of kings and Lord of lords in this place. Lord, encourage us and challenge us by your word today. And if there be one in here that have yet to receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, I pray that today would be their day of salvation. In Jesus' precious name we pray.

Amen. I read the church covenant last week. I think it had been like three years since we read it. And so I read it last week. I'm not going to read through the whole covenant again today.

The church covenant is not a contract. It is not a list of rules to follow, but it is a reminder. It is a reminder to all who join a church fellowship of the privileges and the responsibilities that it entails. It is a reminder that there is a commitment involved to one another and to the Lord. As we have responsibilities in our own homes and our own families, so we do in the family of God and in the house of God to our Lord and one another.

That every joint needs to do its part so that the body of the church works at its best in fullness for the glory and in the service of the head who is not me, is who? It's Jesus Christ. This is what the covenant means when it says we are to strive together. Together as a team, not with our own agendas, not to fulfill our particular selfish wants, but to fulfill the desires of our head, who is Jesus, as we serve him together. I'm gonna read just the first two paragraphs from church covenant.

Having been led, as we believe, by the spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, we do now in the presence of God in this assembly most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another in one body as Christ. We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of the church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort, to promote its prosperity and spirituality, to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines. So I want to look specifically, take some time on the areas in which we are to strive together for the advancement of the church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort this morning. I want to take some time to look at those particular areas that we are to work together to advance this local church in these particular areas of service and of our testimony for Jesus Christ this morning. To strive together means to work together as a team for a common goal.

To advance again the ministry, the testimony, and the glory of Jesus Christ in this place. In Ephesians chapter four and verse 11 verse 12 well, verse 13. K? It says, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the what? And of the knowledge of the son of God.

That's the first thing listed on our this paragraph in this covenant, the advancement of this church in knowledge. Knowledge of who? The son of God, Jesus Christ. We're not just talking about, you know, knowledge of how to hook up an electric outlet or how to fix your flat tire. Okay?

How to do arithmetic. Those things can be helpful and useful, but that's not particularly the knowledge that the church is striving to teach to its its members. It's not the knowledge that is going to save your soul and strengthen you in service to the Lord. The knowledge of the son of God. Knowledge is important.

Would you not agree? Yes. Knowledge is very important. It is stressed in the scriptures. In first Peter three eighteen, it says, but grow in the grace and in the, what, the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. So Peter writes on the same subject, grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. In James eight thirty two, Jesus said, ye shall know the truth and the truth shall what? Shall make you free.

But if you don't know the truth, then it's not going to make you free. You need to know. You need that knowledge. It is key. It is vital.

Philippians three ten, Paul writes, that I may know him. Who is the him? The him is Jesus Christ. Paul writes that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. Paul just isn't talking about knowing a list of things.

He's talking about personally knowing Jesus. It's not just assert to facts. It is a personal relationship and knowledge. Proverbs one seven reminds us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of what? Knowledge.

But fools despise wisdom and instruction. The fool doesn't want to hear. He doesn't want to know. Because if he knows, then he might feel obligated to do something with what he knows. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, being willing to realize, okay, I am accountable to God.

And knowledge is important. Romans ten seventeen says, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. In the previous verses, says, how can they how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how they shall hear unless there is a what? A preacher.

Now, the word preacher there doesn't mean a person in a pulpit. It means somebody to tell them. Knowledge is vital. Knowledge in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowledge of God's word produces what? Produces faith.

And so knowledge, doctrine is important. Doctrine is the last of the the on this menu here on the advancement of the church in our covenant, what are doctrines? Well, doctrines are the teachings of what? The word of God. That's doctrine.

What is taught in the word of God. Paul told Timothy to study the word of God. Why? Because it is profitable for doctrine, for teaching, for understanding that which is true, particularly as it relates to our relationship with God and eternity and our service to Jesus Christ. It says in Acts chapter two and verse 42 that the early church continued in the apostles' what?

Doctrine. K? Knowledge about God that the Bible teaches us. You wanna know about God? Here you go.

Start here. Okay? This tells us what we need to know. God God hasn't left us wandering around in the darkness concerning who he is. He's he has revealed himself in the written word and in the living word, Jesus Christ.

It tells us about ourselves, who we are apart from Christ and who we are in Christ. We need a savior because we're sinners. In Christ, we have been redeemed, forgiven, accepted in the beloved, and commissioned to go out into all the world and preach the gospel. It tells us of God's will. God's will for our lives.

How we are to live in light of his grace and his mercy and his holiness that we'll talk about in just a minute. Most of the time, you don't have to wonder what God's will is. All you need to do is read what? Read God's word. He tells you.

It tells us, of course, the way of salvation, the only way to heaven through Jesus Christ, his son, who died on the cross for your sins and rose again. The only way to eternal life is through Jesus. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me. It tells us about the past and the future and about the place God has prepared for all of those who love him.

So that that song didn't end with verse three with the death dew lying cold on my brow, but in mansions of glory and endless delight. There are big difference in those two, isn't there? It instructs us on prayer and worship in service of our God. God's word is knowledge. And as a church, we should be striving together to advance one another in that what?

In that knowledge. How do we do that? Well, we do it by having bible studies, Sunday school, Thursday, classes, like Sunday school. We do it by preaching. Paul calls it by the foolishness of preaching.

To the world, it seems kind of foolish that you came here today to listen to me, but it's not foolish, is it? Because you didn't come to listen to me, you came to listen to him. Okay? Preaching is important. Paul told Timothy to preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and what?

Doctrine. You know, it's nice to tell stories and make jokes and make everybody laugh and I do. I make everybody laugh every now and then, but it's usually when I get my tongue tied. And I that's okay. The important thing is we're supposed to be teaching the word of God, the doctrine, not only setting it out there for you to learn, but also encouraging us to react and to act accordingly.

To be what? Doers of the word and not hearers only. For knowledge doesn't do you a whole lot of good if you don't put it to what? If you don't put it to practice. And that's what preaching is about.

Okay? This is what God's word says now. What are we going to do about it? That's what this message is. We have a church.

You're part of this. We're part of a church. What are we going to do about it? It comes by one on one conversations. You don't have to be the Sunday school teacher or the preacher to talk to one another and encourage one another in the word.

I have spent been spending a little bit of time with Faye the last few weeks. He is headed off to Bible College. When, Faye? About three weeks now? Three weeks.

So I have enjoyed our time. I think he has. You'll have to ask him. But you know it doesn't have to be in a class. It might be over the phone.

I've done that quite a bit too. Maybe you have as well. We have all kinds of avenues to reach out to one another and encourage each other in the truth and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It comes through evangelistic outreach, taking those tracks and telling other people about Jesus Christ. That's what advancing the church in knowledge is about, and it is important.

If a local church is not teaching the doctrine and providing ample opportunities for growth in doctrine and knowledge of spiritual truth and help in daily living, then it is falling what? Falling short. But see, it takes more than the preacher and the deacon and the Sunday school teacher. It takes it takes all of us sharing what we have learned with with one another, encouraging one another from the word of God. There are some of you that will never come up to me and ask a certain question, but you might ask somebody else.

See, knowledge is important. The doctrines of the word of God are vital. They are not just cold facts written on pages. They are living and they are life. And it is our privilege to share them with one another to advance the church in the knowledge of Jesus Christ that makes us free.

Free in Jesus and empowers us in the service of God. The second one on the in this paragraph here, it says, to advance the church in knowledge and holiness. That's reflected in the latter half of verse 13 where it says, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That means Christ likeness. We are not to just advance the congregation to grow in our knowledge, but also in holiness, in Christ likeness.

To be doers of the word. To become more like Jesus. By Christ likeness and holiness, we mean by abstinence from sin, by surrender to his will, and by active service in his behalf. I really like this verse. It's one of my favorite verses.

Matthew sixteen twenty four, then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, if you wanna follow me, if you wanna be my disciple, then let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Deny himself what? The lust of the flesh. Sin. The things that God hates.

The things for which Christ died. Okay? To free us from. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. Take up his cross.

Surrender his what? Will. Surrender his will. Is that being Christ like? He became obedient unto death, even the death of the what?

The cross. That's what Jesus did for us. He surrendered his will. He took up his cross. And we are to follow him as he served the father.

He said, as the father has sent me, so what? So send I you. That is Christ likeness. That is holiness. The church should be striving together to advance the congregation in knowledge so that when you leave this place today, you know more and you know your savior better than you did when you came in this morning.

But also that you might change. Change to be more like who? To be more like Jesus Christ. It says in first Peter one fourteen through 16, Peter writes as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance before you were saved, But as but as he which hath called you is holy, separate from sin, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Now the word conversation there means conduct, not you're talking to somebody.

Okay? So be ye holy in all manner of conduct, lifestyle, behavior. Because it is written, be ye holy for I am holy. Because we're under grace and not under the law of Moses does not mean that what God does not desire and has not saved us to make us what? Holy.

He saved you to make you, to conform you to the image of who? Jesus Christ. And as he is holy, he has called us to be holy in all manner of conversation. And as a church, we are to assist one another and to advance the congregation in becoming more like who? And becoming more like Jesus Christ.

More holy. Holiness means becoming more like Christ and less like the world. Putting off the old man and putting on the new man, the new person that you are in Christ, fleeing youthful lusts, choosing not to conform to the old ways before you were saved, the ways of the world, and taking on a new way of thinking and living based on the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us so as to fulfill God's command to be what? Salt and light to make a difference in this world for Jesus Christ by putting off the old and putting on the what? The new.

By turning away from the life of sin and the ways of the world and putting on the righteousness of who? Jesus Christ in our daily living. Romans twelve two says, and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. As we learn more about our God and we may learn more about God's will for us, we're to take off the old ways and we're to put on the what? The new ways of Jesus Christ, which by God's grace we can.

The church advances in this manner when the principles of holy living are taught from the word of God, what God desires for us, how to live for him, how to become more like like Jesus. The church advances in this manner when holiness is exemplified and encouraged, and worldliness and sin are exposed and rebuked. As we exemplify, that is live a holy life, and as we encourage others to do so, we fulfill this command to strive together to grow into the fullness of Christ, to be holy as he is holy. And Christ is therefore magnified as we apply the holiness and the love and the righteousness of Christ to our lives in all manner of conversation or conduct, meaning our thought life, our attitudes, our appearance, our speech, our activities, our behavior. All those areas.

It starts with our thought or thinking. Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the what? Renewing of your mind. See, the world thinks in order to be happy, I gotta have these things, do these things, gotta have these pleasures. We have to change our what?

We have to be changed in our mind and then that transforms us in our heart to be like Jesus Christ, our savior, in every aspect of life, in our attitudes. Are you angry this morning? Are you are you bitter? Are you difficult? Are you hard to get along with?

Are you are you grateful? Are you humble? Are you kind? Attitudes matter. In our thoughts, in our attitudes, in our appearance, our parents matter?

Yeah. Does. Because people learn things by what they see. Our attitudes, our actions, our appearance, our speech, Our speech, does it bring glory to God? From Ephesians, we are told to put off lying and stealing, vulgar and degrading speech and bitterness and vengeance and replace it with what?

Honesty, hard work, generosity, edifying and clean speech, love and forgiveness, and kindness towards our fellow men. That is what? Well, that is Christ likeness. That is holiness as we learn to put off the old and put on the what? And put on the new.

These are areas of holiness which we as God's children need to be concerned about in our teaching, but also in our personal daily walk, becoming more like Jesus. Many passages in the New Testament tell us to avoid and flee youthful lust and sexual sin of any kind and to replace it instead with marriage and abstinence and diligence in the service of the Lord. Is that different from the world around us? Yeah, it is. Put off the old and put on the what and put on the new.

Women are commanded to be modest in their dress, adornment, and attitude, not drawing on a due attention to themselves, particularly of a sensual or demanding manner, but to put on a meek and, what, quiet spirit which is of great worth to the Lord. Men are commanded to watch their eyes, their mind, and their heart that they do not commit adultery physically or in their heart and to love their wives as what? As Christ loved the church. Put off the old and what? Put on the new.

Strive together in holiness. Sometimes we have to be reminded of these things. Paul tells the Corinthians not to fellowship with idols temples, not to participate with those who worship such things Such things including drunkenness and drugs and reveling or partying or lewd behavior, provocative dancing, bars and nightclubs and rock concerts are not places for who? The child of God. Good place for the child of God?

The church. I'm glad you're here this morning and not at a rock concert. I think you know better, but but those things, those places, they're they should not have a place in the life of God's children. Be mindful and circumspect as a child of God, not just following the crowd, but following who? But following the savior, Jesus Christ in holiness.

Greed and envy are not holy either. But what? Contentedness. The Bible says godliness with contentment is great what? It's great gain.

We are to strive together to encourage, to help through the preaching and teaching of God's word and through one on one conversation to help each other become more like who? More like Jesus, less like the world, and to be salt and light in the place where God has put us. You can't make a difference if you aren't what? If you aren't different. You cannot make a difference if you aren't different.

And the kind of difference that God is talking about is not simply in one area, but in many. It's not just in the things you don't do, but the things that you do. It's not just in the don'ts, but it's also in the dos. And it is becoming like Jesus Christ, not only in our actions, but also in our very what? Minds and hearts.

That is what God desires of his children. We must be willing to judge most of all who? Ourselves daily to see that we are denying ungodly lusts, drawing close to the Lord, living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Titus two eleven and twelve. For by the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

It is our joy and our privilege to be able to grow and to advance. It takes time. We need patience with ourselves and each other as we advance step by step, little by we sing a song with the kids. Little by little, what? Inch by inch.

By the yard, it's hard. By the inch, what a cinch. Just following who? As we follow Jesus Christ together, becoming more like our savior. And if you think you've arrived, then you you you've got something to learn.

Not only in knowledge and in holiness, but also in one. The third thing here in our paragraph in our covenant is comfort. Comfort. Is comfort important? It is.

We are to provide to help provide knowledge and encouragement in holiness and comfort for each other. You may be here today and you you may be at great loss in your life. You may have lost a loved one. You may have lost a job. You may be at great need here this morning because there's something in life you're running short of that you cannot live without.

You may need comfort. And by comfort, we also mean exhortation and help. We're here to help what? Each other. To aid one another.

The Bible word means to walk beside. To walk beside. Not just here to push knowledge, not just here to encourage holiness, we should be, but also I am your what? I am your friend. And you, I hope, are mine.

And we're walking what? We're walking together. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. First Thessalonians five eleven, wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also ye do. Paul says, I know that you're doing this.

Keep doing it and do it what? And do it more. Do it more. Don't forget about each other. You walked in here today, some of you, with a heavy load on your heart and on your mind.

First place you need to take it is to who? To Jesus. Take it to Jesus. But praise the Lord, as members of this family together, we can also take it to one another. And we can share those burdens, and we can bring those burdens before our Lord and savior.

We take prayer requests in Sunday school. We take prayer requests on Wednesday night. We take prayer requests at Thursday Bible study. Why do we do that? So we can share these burdens and carry them together before the throne of what?

Before the throne of grace. That we can comfort one another, that we can help each other. The Bible says, confess your faults one to another. Why? Because you can't be forgiven if you don't confess your faults to me?

No. That's not what it's talking about. We confess our sins to one and that's who? Jesus Christ. You don't have to go through a priest to get your sins forgiven.

They are forgiven in Jesus Christ who paid the price for you on Calvary's Cross. And if you will accept him as Lord and savior and his sacrifice, he will cleanse you from what? All sin. So why does it say confess your faults to one another? Well, it says in the verse, confess your faults one to another and what?

Pray for one another so that we can know how to pray for each other, so we can know how to help each other. Because we're in this, what? Together for the advancement of all of us in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, for the advancements in all of us of becoming Christ like and holy in what we say and think and do in all of those areas to be the best testimony and servant of Jesus Christ and to comfort and encourage one another when life gets hard because guess what? Life sometimes gets what? Hard.

Hard decisions, difficult times, great loss, discouragement. God's given us one another. We are to advance the church in comfort, Kind words and a listening ear. Sometimes all somebody needs is for somebody to what? To listen.

A card or a text, a meal or a visit, a hug or a handshake, a little monetary aid. What did the early church do, it says in Acts two? Well, people that had land and stuff, many of them sold it and parted it among the members of the church because they were in financial straits and they needed what? Help. A reminder of the Lord's mercy when somebody has failed can be a big help.

An example of God's aid in your life to help somebody to see that God is going to come through for you too. Sometimes a kind rebuke and love is needed. And sometimes godly sound advice. These are all areas that we can advance one another and our church in what? In comfort.

Take the example of Jesus. He did not avoid those who were needy or in need. He forgave and gave hope to the woman caught in adultery and the Samaritan woman at the well. He healed blind Bartimaeus. He cleansed the lepers.

He fed the multitudes when he himself was in need of food and rest. He cried over the death of a friend. He was a friend to his disciples, and he gave of himself for them. He really cared. It will show, and it will make a wonderful difference in the life of others if we will follow Jesus Christ and if we will do our part to advance the church in knowledge.

One of the ways you can advance the church in knowledge is just to be here and learn. Because as you learn, guess what you're doing? You're advancing the church in knowledge. I am thankful that we have a church that is largely full of people who are hungry to hear God's word and to learn. And that's why we can have three different classes and two services on Sunday, and there are people here for all of them.

Because you wanna what? You wanna know more, and you wanna know him better. So a big part, just be here and learn. As you learn, you advance the church in knowledge. As you confess, we confess our sins.

As we are willing to acknowledge our faults and our weaknesses. And as we look to Jesus Christ, our savior, to become more like him, we will advance the church in what? In holiness. And as we share with one another the love of Christ, we advance the church in what? In comfort.

And it is our joy. It is my joy to help you to do that, but I need your help also. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for Jesus Christ and the privilege that you have given us to come together in this place to encourage one another in the things of the Lord, To teach and preach the word of God and the doctrine of Jesus Christ, to lead souls to the savior out of sin, rescue them from the pit of hell by the preaching of the good news that Jesus Christ died for them and rose again from the dead, and that they he will save their souls and forgive their sins if we will but repent and turn to Christ. Lord, I pray if there's one here today that is yet to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, if they're unsure this morning of their eternal destination, I pray, Lord, as we give this invitation, they'll come.

We can share with them today how they can be saved and know it. And I pray, Lord, for us who are your children that we would seek to be part of this wonderful endeavor to advance our church in knowledge, in holiness, and in comfort today. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.